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PPV monitoring, management program continuing

December 21, 2011  By Press release


ppvplumDecember 16, 2011, Ottawa, Ont – The Government of Canada
is moving forward with a Plum Pox Monitoring and Management Program (PPMMP)
over the next five years. The program is designed to contain and mitigate the
spread of plum pox virus (PPV) to minimize the impact of this virus on Canada’s
tender fruit industry, as well as to facilitate industry management of PPV.

December 16, 2011, Ottawa, Ont – The Government of Canada
is moving forward with a Plum Pox Monitoring and Management Program (PPMMP)
over the next five years. The program is designed to contain and mitigate the
spread of plum pox virus (PPV) to minimize the impact of this virus on Canada’s
tender fruit industry, as well as to facilitate industry management of PPV.

ppvplum  
A plum with PPV symptoms.  

Funding
of $17 million over five years announced in Budget 2011 has been approved. The
program will be delivered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). It will be done in two phases. The
first five-year phase will develop the regulatory controls and best management
practices with provincial governments, and the second phase will involve
ongoing mitigation of the spread of PPV through regulatory controls. 

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Beginning
immediately, the CFIA will implement a regulatory program to mitigate the
spread of PPV based on requirements of the Plant Protection Act. Through the
Plum Pox Virus Infested Places Order, a quarantine area has been designated in
the Niagara area where PPV is present. The CFIA will continue to do surveys to
determine if PPV is spreading. Regulated material from Prunus spp., which does
not include fresh fruit, will not be permitted to move outside of the
designated quarantine area. Additionally, its propagation continues to be
prohibited within the quarantine area. This prohibition will be reviewed
annually.

Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
researchers will assist in developing best management
practices for industry to reduce the impact of PPV. Research initiatives will
develop durable virus resistance strategies and orchard management practices.
AAFC will work with provincial partners and industry stakeholders to support
education and awareness initiatives to encourage fruit and nursery growers to
adopt these practices. Results will be communicated directly to industry and
through provincial governments.

The
application of long-term regulatory controls remains necessary to prevent
further spread of PPV. The CFIA will continue to mitigate the spread through
regulatory initiatives as described in the five-year program.

Further
details of the program are to be released in the coming months.


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